When traveling between cities within Europe, we are ever the proponents of transportation options that reduce travel stress. That sometimes means we'll suggest rail instead of flying (to avoid airport hassle). Or, conversely, we might recommend flying instead of rail (when distances are great).
There's one transportation option we recommend for the sheer pleasure of it - taking the Stena Line ferry from London to Amsterdam. The trip includes a train ride from London to Harwich, then luxury ferry to Holland, and another train ride to Amsterdam.?The new ships are comfortable and just plain nice. Bathrooms in the private cabins are a good size for a ship with spacious showers.
We particularly enjoyed the night boat. You board the boat, have a late-night dinner, and perhaps watch a movie in the onboard cinema. Before you know it, back in your private cabin, the super smooth ride of the boat has you fast asleep. You awake in Holland. We almost wished the trip was longer.
See also: Custom Europe Trip Planning.